SWAT tactics are killing us

Examiner
William Heuisler

SWAT tactics in our neighborhoods put us all in danger.

More importantly, SWAT tactics in the Jose Guerena search warrant turned our justice system upside down.

Don’t believe it? Try this: Ask friends about Jose Guerena’s death. Likely they will say, “Well, he was a bad guy, right?” They might add, “He was involved in home invasions and drug dealing.”  They will be repeating unproven allegations actively propagated by County Sheriff’s Attorney, Mike Storie.
No matter what Storie says, Jose Guerena had no criminal record on May 5th, 2011.

For the truth, Tucsonans should read SWAT supervisor, Sergeant Krygier’s debriefing statement (12 pages available for download). (Echavarri, 2011)

Krygier said SWAT members’ pre-raid briefing included,” This house on Red Water is where what we call the bad guy lives”…”involved directly with cartels” and “associated with a homicide where a husband and wife got killed.” And more, “We briefed, if something were going to happen, it was probably going to happen at Red Water.”

So, SWAT officers were told Guerena was probably a murderer.

SWAT was briefed trouble was probably going to happen at the Guerena home.
But this was a search warrant. There was no evidence for an arrest warrant for Guerena!
SWAT was pointed like a gun at Jose Guerena.

Is it possible the former-Marine was tried, sentenced and executed by an unknowing Pima County Special weapons team because he was only suspected of crimes?
That horrible concept is quite likely.

And, reading Krygier’s statement, Guerena probably did not even hear SWAT commands.
SWAT arrived at the Guerena home with sirens blaring loud enough to drown out any police commands or identification. Eight seconds after sirens were turned off, the door was busted, a flash bang was tossed in, and Jose was shot down in the hallway in his white boxer shorts.
Arrival to killing took SWAT less than a minute.

Don’t listen to lawyers; read the SWAT supervisor’s eyewitness statement. Get the truth.
Our justice system is based on the principle we are innocent until proven guilty of a crime in a court of law. All Americans must be presumed innocent when dealing with police, or police will treat us all like criminals.
 
Echavarri, F. (2011). Arizona Daily Star. Complex drug probe triggered SWAT raid. Related documents (PDF: statements of officers involved in SWAT raid). http://azstarnet.com/news/local/crime/article_ffd3cd6b-6564-59a9-8b43-a1635ae66bd4.html